davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
UOus as .Seufrjes

The idea lately taken in earnest in
the German and Russian armies of USING
dogs for military purposes has been
generally talked of as an innovation.
This, however, as NJ. Meunicr shows in
an article in the Revue Scientifiaue, is a
mistake. Dogs of war, it appears, were
well known to the great nations Of an
Gent times, and Greeks and Romans
and Jews and Gentiles made use of the
fearless, intelligent animal, whose valor
is now once again to be put to the test.
The Greeks had dogs in every one of
their fortresses; and T. Blaze. one Of
Nj. Meunier's authorities, tells good
story of an outpost occupied by strong
watch-dogs only. Opposite Corinth,
facing the sea, such an outpost was
situated, guarded by fifty dogs. One
night the enemy began to disembark.
The garrison was drunk and the dogs
had to keep back the agressors. They
fought like lions, and forty nine of them
were killed. The only survivor, Softer,
rushed away in hot haste, gave the
alarm in the camp, aud the enemy was
driven back.
The Romans, as every one knows.
were less fortunate on n similar occasion
where the geese performed the task of
the dogs in calling the attention of the
soldiers to the Gauls scaling the walls Of
the Capitol, while the dogs were fast
asleep. As a punishment for the un-
faithful servants a religious ceremony,
at which even Putarch had still occa-
sion to laugh on behoding it, was there
after annually performed at Rome It's
chief features was that some dogs were
taken through the streets with great
pomp, whipped at every cro5s-road and
in every public place. and finally hanged
on a cross of the wood Of the elder tree.
near the temple Of Youth.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28

SUGAR COOKIES. cup butter, two
cups Of sugar and three eggs. Flour
enough to make soft dough-; flavor
with cinnamon or nutmeg and bake in a
moderate oven.
LEMON MARMALADE-Take lemons,
! peel and extract the seed. Boil the
lemons until soft, add the juice and
pulp with pound of sugar to pound
of lemon. Boil to thicken.
SALLY LUNN.-This is good for both
breakfast and tea. A pint of sweet milk,
two eggs, butter the size of an egg, two
tablespoonfuls sugar, two teaspoonfuls
baking powder, teaspoonful salt, and
enough flour to make stiff batter. Mix
all well together and bake in a buttered
pan in quick oven. Use hot
CINNAMON Buns. When making
bread reserve quart of the dough, and
work well into it teacupful sugar and
half teacupful butter. Roll out half
an inch thick, and cut into long, narrow
biscuits, spread them thickly with sugar
and cinnamon, let them rise until light.
and bake in quick oven.
Egg BALLS FOR SoUP.-They are made
by first boiling eggs hard; when cold.
rub the yolks fine aud mix with them
the yolk of a raw egg, and one teaspoon
full flour. Add pepper and salt to the
taste and little finely-chopped parsley.
Form into little balls, and boil two min
utes in water. They are then ready to
put at once into the tureen with the
soup.
MINCED HAM AND EGGs.--A nice way'
to use up remnants of cold boiled ham is
to mince it, and to half pound of ham
melt tablespoonful butter in frying
pan, add the ham and little hot water
let it heat up quickly, then spread it on
buttered toast, and on each piece lay
poached egg. Quite dainty break fast
can thus be made from what at first
thought might might seem very un-
promising.
SQUASH BISCUIT Dissolve half a cake
of compressed yeast in half cupful of
cold water. Mix it together with cup
full and a half of sifted squash, half a
cupful of sugar, one cupful of milk, four
! taPlespoonfuls of butter and half a tea
spoonful of salt; then stir the whole
into five cupfuls of flour, knead it we'll
and let it rise over night. In the morn
4
ing make into biscuits. Let them rise
an hour and half and bake half an
| hour
SALAD DRESSING. Take the yolks of
2 eggs, teaspoonful of mustard, salt
| spoonful Of salt, pinch of cayenne, and
tablespoonful of sugar. Beat these
well together with small egg beater,
until they are perfectly smooth; then
add, drop by drop, half teacupful
olive oil, stirring briskly all the time, or
until firm, compact mass results. Now
add tablespoonfuls vinegar, aud when
that is well Incorporated with 1t tea
spoonful of lemon juice. This dressing
is nice for potato salad, chicken and
lobster salads, etc.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
4 Memorable Definite.

The 18th Annual Meeting Of tho
American Board OF Commissioners for
Foreign Missions at Springfield, Mass.
set. Al, was Of unusual interest in view
Of its decisive action on the conduct Of
the Prudential committee in its theo.
ogical treatment Of candidates for mis-
sion work, and their views of
Culture probation. After an able
five hours debate tho committees
report that it was 'fnexpedieut" to re-
fer doubtful cases to councils. was
adopted by vote Of ITO to 10, and the
resolution 70 investigate the committee
methods was laid on the table. Rev.
DR.. Richard $. Storrs Of Brooklyn was
elected president in place Of the late Dr.
Mark Hopkins who held that position
for thirty years.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28

Ignorant folk, wonder monoers ana
even scientific Observers have diasem-
mated many erroneous and exaooer.-
ted notions which are not readily er,d-
icated- We are still told, for instance
OF the Norwegian maelstrom, q FRIGHT
ful whirling chasm in the see capebIe
OF sucking down the largest shina
though IN reality this fearful ~vhirl.
pool" Is simply o run of the tide
through . sloping channel, il rareIv
dangerous. and then chiefly on account
OF the rocks on which IL may draw res-
sells. Sir John Herschel gave hia in
dorsement to the statement that atar.
may be seen in the daytime from tbe
bottom Of o we'll. but this has been
proven to be an error by tests from :
shaft nearly half a mile deep. Mr..
John Murdoch has recently shown that
the Eskimos do not, as text-books Of
physiology affirm, doze through their
long winter nights, keeping up their
bodily heat by enormous meals OF raw
blubber and lamp-oil, but that their
winter life Is active. their food mostly
cooked and their consumption of oil
not excessive. A still widely accepted
belief is that the hair-snaka is a won
derful transformation Of horses hair
when kept in water, though these odd
creatures known to science as Gordius
aquaticusl really grow from eggs, and
IN early stages inhabit the bodies of
insects. A very old idea, without
foundation in fact, is that crocodiles
shed mournful tears, while stories of
toads imprisoned in solid rock are nu
merous and supported by much evi.
deace, but have probably resulted
from imperfect observation. Accounts
OF the termination of grain from the
mummy-pits OF Egypt have arisen from
deception practiced by the Arabs in
placing fresh seeds with the belong
ings of the mummies. Though now
known to be incorrect, the inference
that the moon influences the weather
Is very natural one to unframed OBJ
servers, and is far less absurd than n
thousand yagaries that gain credence.
such as the dropping of live reptiles
from the clouds, the election of live
snakes and other creatures from the
human stomach, the localization of
water by forked stick, the extin-
guishment of fire by sunshine, etc
ArkdnSalU IrdUcler.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
The WORLDS Largest Cities.

The following information is often
inquired for, and, as it may be useful
In many cases for reference, we have
compiled table of the largest cities
OF the world, with their populations
as stated by the latest authorities. In
the absence of any official census. the
Chinese cities have simply to be esti-
mated, and of course must be accepted
as an approximation only. We have
not given any city whose population is
below 500, 100, though there are many
we could enumerate which closely ap-
proach that figure. 1t will be seen
that In the thirty-five cities tabulated
below there are 30, 51o,31o souls, or
nearly the population of the British
Isles, fact which cannot be grasped
In moment by any ordinary intellect :
aitchi Japan. i ,g32, 050 Madrid, SPAIN. 500 900
Bangkok. siam. 100000 Moscow. Russia GIi'eTt
brooklyn, N Y. III, 90 New York N 4O1 Ool
Berlin, Prussia. la, 800 Paris, France q 2J9 O23
Calcutta, India. 7GG, 29S Pc nIonra lava 505 90a
canton. China SEQ, 0J0 Pokin, China. sO'OoI
ngchoofoo, PhilndeIpio PA $4,000
Emma. l,000.C0) st. Peter bug
Chicago. Ill 49,. $1,000 Russia 7sG oea
Constantinope, Sartama, Jap'n e6l'TI7
lurksy',:.. 10000 Sian, China i, COO, 900
foo-Choo, China CSC, 900 St Louis Mo 500 0Oo
Glasgow Scotld 5li Ola Tat Soon 7 ~, S0'~o'
Hang Chow-foo China - 500 OO0
?, CIana. $50. CCO,OOO Iien-Tsin Cha $4,000
Han g-Tcheon, Toxic Japan. 9s7 ASH
ohinh. 10000 Ischautchnufu
Han Han koC C China ooo,oco China Loot. 900
ming te-Chiang, Tsin Tchoo
China; 1000 China. ....... 100000
liverpool Eng. $1,000 Vienna Austria 72B lO5
i1onion, Eng. 9J5, Sl9 Woochung ma 800 900
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
LADIES, DEPARTMENT.
Maiden LasllAa

They have custom at the Andrew
p,esbyterian church, Minneapolis,
which has brought great CONSERVATION
70 the widows and maiden ladies. It
began with the children and extended
20 the congregation. Ga each Sunday
following birthday the person who has
jus shufIled off another year marches
70 the front and drops as many pennies
into the missionary box as he is years
Old. It can readily be seen how en-
barras,ing this is to many. They resort
to all sorts Of tricks to avoid divulging
the truth. Sometimes n lady will put
ia over dollar, and as erybody
knows she Is not hundred years old it
let, her out of the dilemma. The mis-
sionary box is the gamer. -[Pioneer
Press
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS

Inc transparency Of molten iron, mo-
1'e'ed during casting OF several tons.
aas been recorded by Mr.. w. Ramsey.
1t had yellow tinge.
A petroleum exhibition Is soon to be
heid in ST. Petersburg, in connection
with which the Russian minister of war
offers prize of 500 roubles for a COM
pact and practical battery for electric
lighting with incandescent lamps.
III towns were laid out with the streets
IN the diagonal directions, northeast and
southwest, northwest aud southeast. and
the sun shining into all the rooms some
time during every day in the year. the
enect would be cheering and salutary.
Disasters to eyesight are evidently
more common than is generally sun
posed, judging from the statement
that more than 1900, 900 glass ewes
are made annually in Germany and
switzerland. An artificial eve seldom
lasts more than five years, the secre-
uon OF the glands turning it cloudy.
The Swedish count NJ Bjornstjerna.
suggested more than forty years ago. in
book on 'The Theogony Of the Hin
zoos, that, as both poles must have
been cooled to a suitable temperature at
the same time, the earth might have
been peopled from the north pole with
Its white races, and from the south pole
with its colored races.
Observations made at the late South
hensington Aquarium upon the effect of
temperature on fish, show that the dog
nsh, mullet, conger, skate, founder,
pass, cod, trout, catfish, pike, and carp
are extremely hardy, aud can exist in a
temperature ranging from "a deg. to II
deg. The gurnard, wrasse, bull head,
sole, Dream, cray fish, blennic, perch.
dace, tench, minnow, club, roach. and
gudgeon are sensitive to extremes of
temperature.
Perhaps the statement may be of in
terest that the little screech-owl is get
ting much more common in the vicin-
i'y OF cities in which the English
sparrow has become numerous. and
that the imported birds will find in
this owl as bold an enemy as the spar
row-hawk is to them in Europe, and
even more dangerous, since its attacks
are made toward dusk, at time when
the sparrow has retired for the night
and is not so wide awake for WAYS.
and means to escape.
Pertinently to an expression of doubt
by MIR. David A. Wells in one of his
articles on Mexico, as to the Aztecs hay-
ing knowledge or making use of metal
tools, MIR. w. w. Blake, in the "Ameri
can Antiquarian, mentions as being on
exhibition in the Archaeological Rooms
OF the National Museum of Mexico
idols, beads, and engraved clasps of
OF gold; hp-ornaments and other articles
OF silver; numerous tools, weapons. and
ornaments of copper; and "chopping
knives" of copper, which are supposed
to have been used as money.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
Fashion Notes-


Plaided moire is the latest novelty in
silks.
Silk handkerchicfs have ~gone out"
utterly.
The smaller scarfpin is.the more
stylish.
Scarfs Of every shape must be in
striped patterns.
China Grape is much used for brides
maids dresses.
Bustles are diminishing in size, say
the authorities.
Immense buttons are features in the
garniture of Costumes.
The rage for the antique in jewelry is
every day more marked.
All the silks Of the season are yery
soft, with lustrous surface.
Royal purple will be the fashionable
color for the coming season.
Stirring is still seen as a finish for
wollens rs we'll as for surahs.
Profuse decoration of the crown is a
feature of fashionable bonnets.
Enamelled pansies and daisies, with
diamond centres, are the favorite lace
pins.
Some OF the net gowns in quiet neu-
trail tints are very pretty for young
girls.
Fancy hair-pins are generally WON
and continue to be ornamental and elab-
crate.
New shades Of terra-cotta combine
we'll with old pink, serpent green and
new blues.
Dull gold and oxidized silver braids
are used in decorating the newest of
tailor gowns.
Gloves and slippers of exactly the
same shade of undressed kid are proper
accessories of evening toilets.
Braided jackets in Battenberg cloth
are worn with overskirts of the same
material, over velvet or plush.
Waistcoats for ordinary wear are cut
lower and lower, aud four-in-hand scarfs
are consequently assuming portentous
! length.
| Large hats are good form and are gen.
orally worn by stylish women in pierre
ence to n close bonnet for ordinary oc-
casions this season.
Braided bonnets are very stylish,
made of the same cloth as the costume,
and in brides travelling costumes moth
ing can be prettier.
Sashes OF tartan wool are worn by lit
tie girls with plain cashmere costumes,
and have pretty effect The ends are
fringed out and overcast.
The prettiest fashion for bridesmaids
is to wear a broad brimmel hat Of either
lace or SHRED null The English
habit is pretty fashion as we'll.
"The fore and aft" or English shoot
ing cap will still be- worn by young
| girls for school hats and other purposes.
They ore to be found in cheviots and in
plain clothes as well.
The striped cashmeres are an entire
novelty, and will be generally used this
season instead Of light woolens Of rough
texture The gay colors are pretty, and
lend piquancy to the costume.
The manner in which the skirt is hung
in these days of simple drapery is Of
great Importance. The tournurc is not
excessive in these days, but it should
be made so as to stay in place easily.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
American and English Beauty


\ London correspondent of the Boston
Transcript writes: Ii one looks into the
question of relative English and Ameri-
can beauty 1t is plain that the manifest
superiority of American women is due
partly to their knowing-ah! how we'll
they know!-how to make the best of
themselves. Ole thing is painfully com
mon even among the best English
women, and that is an unsightly gap in
the teeth where one has been removed
II may be front tooth itself. They
le'cr seem to think it necessary to have
It replaced, and it gives positive shock
10 an American accustomed to the scru-
puIous care of the teeth practiced by
Their countrywomen. Another differ
ancc Is in the grizzled HAIR of many Eng
IiSh ladies who don't seem to have
acquired the su btle spell OF the American
woman of fifty or thcreabouts, whose
hair suddenly turns to "a lustrous. daz-
Lhng white, making the features twice
as young by contrast OF course. the
American ladies' deny that they do any
thing to tide over the dreadful grizzled
period, but all the same there are no
grizzlies in American society, and there
are innumcrable handsome middle aged
women with snow-white hair and youth
ful faces. This invaluable result has not
yet crossed the Atlantic, but English la
dies are signing for it. They often ask ::
"IIow do the Americans get their snow
white hair at 45'" Which nobody has
yet been found willing to answer.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
pofafO Iroru

Potato ivory is new transformation
for tho lowly tubers. They are simply
treated with sulphuric acid, bathed in
il. boiled in It, and afterwards f'~d
from It. The result is hard white
substance easily worked and colored.
As the supply Of tusks are limited, and
the production Of celluloid expensive,
this may prove a valuable industry. -
New York World.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28

deed, be said merely to rem, e..,t . f,..,
way Of spending money and exhibiting
extravagance. happened to see one Of
these sticks . few days ago. 1t had
been brought TO New York bv a FASH
ionabie women who had been spepd;ny
the summer at Trouville, France. be-.
iieve she used the cane re lipiouslv ON IN.
other side, but here it occupies a pron;
ncnt corner in the drawi, ,g-roo.a and !.
isearoed more as curic sity than any
thing else. 1t is made of fines,
satin wood and is twice The length Of
the ordinary walking stick. The hand.
is thick and round, topped with cold
and surrounded by tiny turquois and
diamonds. On touching spring thi,
gold tip flies back, revealing within a
small bottle, presumably for perfume.
l say presumably. because one would
naturally ina CINE the glass receptacle to
be destined for triple extracts and moth
ing else. Inquiry, however, revealed
the startling fact that anything liquid
with the exception of perfume may be
carried In the bottle. Vinaigrettes, I
was gravely informed. belong to a past
generation. No won an of elegance ever
carries one. She rubs a few drops OF
fragrant extract IN her ears, and puts
any number OF silken sachets in the
drawers Of her toilet cable. but as to
being seen with a vulgar Im cling bottle,
such thing is out of the question.
What purpose, then, does the bottle in
the cane servea Why, in nine cases
out of ten it is filled with choral, brandy,
liquor or any other of the stimulating
drugs so much affected by the modern
women of fashion. New York Letter.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28


A New York correspondent Of Prairie
Farmer gives the following directions:
Stake half peck Of lime and add 10
gallons water. Stir we'll, and after q
day or so, pour of the clear liquid and
I'LL the firkins or crooks to be used for
packing. Place the eggs in layers, the
small end downward, filling the vessels
to within one aud one-half inches of the
top. Lay thick cloth over the whole
and over this close-fitting cover. Keep
them In cool place.
'.John's Wife," of Missouri, says:
Greasing the eggs to exclude the air,
and then packing in common salt. is a
good way to preserve them. ! find that
by setting the round oval eggs, the
majority of chicks are pullets. l have
tested this and never failed.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
4Choice of Pets.

He had promised to buy her dog.
"What kind do you like best" he
asked tcndeIly, as he squeezed her
hand.
'sWell," she said thoughtfully, as she
rested her chin on his shoulder "somo
like Scotch terrors, but as for me |
should just dote on an English pug. -
And he said sweotly that their ideas
eon-cur-red.
South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-28
ORIGIN of the Uoyd Cioor

The origin of the word cigar is OF
some interest, and is not to be found in
the ordinary dictionaries. The word. of
course, is Spanish, and Littre in his
French dictionary, says that it is deri we'd
from cigars, the Spanish name for grass
hopper, and is so called because of the
resemblance of the article to the BODY
OF a grasshopper. This seems very far
fetched, and there is another derivation
which seems moro reasonable. When
the Spaniards first introduced tobacco
into Spain from the island OF Cuba in
tho sixteenth century they cultivated
the plant in their gardens, which. in
Spain, are called cigarralcs. Each grew
his tobacco in his cigarral, and rolled it
up for smoking as he had learned il
from the Indians in the West Indies.
When one offered a smoke TO a friend
he could say: ''Es de mi cigarrap'-It
Is from my garden. Soon the expression
came TO be Este cigarras es dc mi
cigarraP' cigar is from my garden.
And from this the word cigar spread
over the world. The name cigarral for
garden comes from cigarra, a grasshop-
per, that insect being very common in
Spain, and cigarral meaning tho place
where the cigarra sings. In this way
the word cigar comes from cigana, the
name Of the insect not because IL re-
sembes the body Of the grasshopper.
but because it was grown in the place IL
frocvorts r(tIs,o,o rr-,t..